A bug a day: Mars invests in edible insects and imitation meat

Mars Food's investment in a group of Australian startups foreshadows a potentially radical change in the food to be produced by the multinational in the future.

Mars has backed startups producing edible insects, imitation meat and fermented food with grants of up to $40,000, offering mentoring and expert advice over a four-month period through its Seeds of Change accelerator program announced this week.

Skye Blackburn, founder of Australia's largest edible insect farm the Edible Bug Shop, was one of the six Aussie startups selected for the accelerator. She already has a product in mind.

"Mars has a large range of different brands and products, so we see insect protein or [insect] based ingredients can work really well to boost the nutrient contents of items Mars already has," she said. "We could do a high protein cricket Mars bar, that would be awesome."

Advertisement

Ms Blackburn has farmed insects for over 12 years now and said she has seen a "big shift" in people's focus on food over that time.

"When we first started it was more about the novelty factor. Now people want to know food is sustainable, nutrient based and ethical," she said.

Ms Blackburn said demand is steadily growing, with the business moving to a new farm to increase its capacity from 200 kilos of edible insects a week to 10,000 kilos.

Peter Crane, research and development director at Mars Food Australia, said the world is changing at a rapid pace and the startups chosen for the accelerator reflect this.

"The reason for the program is to inspire a more entrepreneurial Mars as well as true commercial outcomes from the partnerships," he said. "Mars is a purpose-led organisation and we want to make a difference to people and the planet. We see a number of businesses really having purpose to what we want to do."

It is definitely a movement and one we are keen to support.

Peter Crane

Mr Crane said Mars was tracking the trend towards more plant-based eating, with more people looking to switch at least partially to alternatives.

"It is definitely a movement and one we are keen to support," he said. "The Edible Bug Shop is looking at alternative protein sources which can remove our reliance on the meat production system."

Peter Crane is the research and development director at Mars Food Australia and program mentor for the Seeds of Change Accelerator.

"Customers use the chili con carne recipe base in our Masterfood brand and replace meat with beans and pulses and we do get enquiries from people more and more to address a more flexitarian approach to our food and products," he said.

"We are mindful of the benefits of plant-based eating and you will see us introduce more options to support that. We are not moving away from the Aussie favourites but just offering more options."

Mr Crane said Mars would look to "possibly" develop products with the startups in the accelerator.

"We entered into this with a really open mind," he said. "The grants are not equity based, we are not buying into their business. It is possible, so we don't rule it out. If through the relationships we work together and start to identify a mutual outcome for us entering into business agreement whether that is Mars acquiring a company or a joint venture, it is definitely a possibility."

"Mars is a large multinational, successful by any measure, but we look at food startups with some envy and see their ability to move and respond, they are unencumbered by corporate bureaucracy," Mr Crane said. "There is some magic there we don't have."